Tooth brush holder



Sept. 1, 1959 w. F. WAGNER mom BRUSH HOLDER Filed June 18, 1958 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER William F. Wagner, New York, N.Y.

Application June 18, 1958, Serial No. 742,899

3 Claims. (Cl. 206--15.1)

This invention relates to tooth brush holders, and has for one of its objects the provision of a holder capable of supporting a number of the brushes in an upright position rendering the same readily accessible for use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a brush holder which will be self-supporting in that it can be rested on any flat surface and does not require attachment to a wall or require any other form of permanent installation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a holder of this character which can be used in the home, but which can also be used as a container or housing for the brushes while travelling.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a flat, compact case provided in its upper wall with a plurality of apertures through which the shanks or handles may be extended, the case standing upright on a suitable surface, and with the heads of the brushes extended above the top of the case. The device further contemplates the provision of a trough-shaped bottom for maintaining the brushes uniformly in place in the holder and which bottom is provided with openings for drainage purposes.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosedi Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a tooth brush holder, constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken susbtantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frame of the casing.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the frame of the casing, the same consisting of a three-sided member which may be made of sheet metal, plastic or other suitable material, and in the form shown it is provided with a top wall 2 and side walls indicated respectively at 3 and 4. Provided in the top wall 2 is a plurality of apertures 6, each of said apertures being of a size to permit of the passage of the handle or shank 12 of a tooth brush through it, substantially as indicated in Fig. 3. While three of these apertures 6 are shown this number may be increased or decreased according to the size of the holder or the number of brushes to be accommodated by it.

Each of the side walls 3 and 4 of the frame 1 is provided at its front and rear edges with flanges 5, which flanges define channels for the slidable accommodation of the front and rear Walls or panels 7. These panels have their side edges accommodated in the channels formed by the flanges 5 and slide therein with sufficient friction to hold the panels in closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The panels 7 may be composed of plastic, ceramic material, metal or other suitable material, such as glass which can be in the form of a mirror. These panels might also be colored or decorated to suit the tiling of a bath-room or other locality in which the holder is t6 be used.

The bottom of the casing thus formed is in the form of a trough-shaped element 8 which may be flanged at its opposite ends as indicated at 10 and these flanges may be fastened in any suitable manner to the side walls 3 and 4 or the trough-shaped bottom 8 may be arranged to be slidable up and down inside of the casing and positioned at various locations therein to thereby accommodate tooth brushes of various lengths. The ends of the handles rest on the bottom 8 and thus the several brushes are uniformly supported. The trough is provided with a number of apertures or holes 9, the same preferably corresponding in number to the number of apertures 6 in the top wall 2 of the casing, whereby there will be provided a drain aperture for each of the brushes in the holder.

From the foregoing, the uses and advantages of the improved tooth brush holder will be readily apparent. It may be rested or stood upon its base on any suitable flat surface, thus not requiring attachment to a wall sur face. The brushes 11 have their handles or shanks 12 inserted through the apertures 6, with their heads thus disposed above the top of the holder, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The lower ends of the brushes rest upon the trough-shaped bottom and if there is any drainage from the brushes it will thus be captured by the trough-shaped bottom and can drain out of the holes 9 therein.

In the normal position of the device when used about the home, the brushes assume the positions shown in the drawing namely, with the heads exposed above the top of the holder. However, when it is desired to employ the holder as a travelling case, the brushes may be reversed, or positioned with their heads 13 contained inside of the case and the handles projecting out of the same. The brushes may be inserted in this reversed position by removal of one of the panels 7.

The case is compact, sturdy and decorative for the home. Its portability enables it to be placed wherever desired or used when travelling and it is a convenient and useful accessory.

Having described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tooth brush holder comprising, a three-sided frame, said frame having side walls provided with channelled edges, front and back panels slidably fitted on the frame and received in said channelled edges co-operat in-g therewith to form a casing, a part of the frame constituting a top for the casing, said top having a plurality of openings through which the handles of tooth brushes are insertable to maintain the brushes in an upright position with the bristled heads thereof located above the top of the casing, and a channelled shelf in the casing below remaining: sides of the casing being side walls provided with channels along their edges, front and back panels fitted over the opposite sides of the frame and slidably insertable in and removable, from the channels, and a trough-like apertured shelf in the, 10W6I'a part of, the, casing above the open bottom thereof for receivingthe;

lower ends ofthebrushes and, supporting; the same,

apertured for drainage purposes and has openings therein 4, corresponding in number to the number of" apertures in the upper wall of the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 3 1,823 Bothwell NOV. 14, 1899 1,864,874 Voight June 28, 1932 2,117,459 Stanton May 17, 1938 2,415,447 Stanton Feb. 11, 1947 2,500,905 Raykoff Mar. 14, 1950 2,608,294 Ward Aug. 26 52 

